Yes tear down start fresh. One at a time though, so you don’t feel rushed to get it done! Enjoy your fish again. Looking forward to the new beginning!! Alex do some top offs first with partial water changes to acclimate your fish to fresh beginnings.
Man it will be such an amazing experience to watch you do it from scrap as we can learn from expert. Please do upload the entire journey through videos
Alex, you've truly been a guiding light. Your passion, knowledge, and creativity have inspired me to dive deeper and build setups I never thought possible. Watching your videos feels like learning from a mentor and a friend, and I can’t thank you enough for sharing your expertise so generously. I'm beyond excited to see you resetting your old tanks and embarking on new projects-it’s going to be amazing, as always! You’re not just one of the best contributors to the hobby; you’re a cornerstone for so many of us who look up to you. Thanks for everything you do, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Hi Alex. I'm 57 yrs old and haven't kept fish in over 25 years but thanks to you and other talented fish keepers I am going to set up my first tank in the new year. You have a vast amount of knowledge and seem to be a genuinely great guy. I didn't realise how much trauma you have gone through so that alone is a great testament to what you have achieved. My wife suffers with FND, Inflammation, chronic pain and other issues so I understand the challenges that you go through on a day to day basis. Watching this video is making me rethink how I'm going to set up my tank. It seems that it's much harder to try and mimic what is in the natural world, in a tank. I just want to say that you are a great inspiration and I'm looking forward to seeing what you are going to do in the future. My thoughts and prayers are with you. God bless. 🙏😊
Thank you so kindly. If you go back to 5 or 6 years ago, you can see me setting up most the tanks i have currently ( i even moved, without disturbing the Substrate by leaving 15% of water and substrate in the tanks as we moved them one by one.) I'm sorry to hear of your wife's struggles and I know you must have a great heart and so much compassion, if you have lived at her side for decades. That is so much to deal with...but I guarantee you are now a much much more understanding and compassionate person because of it. I think there's a happy medium between total nature / low tech tanks vs high tech or weekly maintenance type tanks. We will work to find the " sweet spot" that allows me to maintain the type of tanks I enjoy, with a maintenance regiment that is workable. Thank you kindly. Take care. -Alex
@Fishtory Alex thank you so much for your reply. I'm so looking forward to building my tank in the new year and will be documenting it on Tiktok among other things I have planned. I might use a plenum in the tank but not sure yet. I'm going to make a bonsai style tree to go into the tank. Not quite sure what plant to use yet as I have a couple in mind. My wife deals with it daily and with the lord's help she copes okay. She can't have a 9-5 job but has a wee business from home. Looking forward to seeing what you'll be doing to your tanks over the next few months. Thanks again and God bless you 🙏😊
Honestly? I enjoy the creativity and thoughtfulness you bring in your topics and new content. I am not heavy into the hobby so I’m not immersed in new trends/discoveries and I always enjoy how you break down complex science. I think my favorite topics are when you take a controversial method and break it down for both sides. But your enthusiasm and interest that you share are the reason I watch.
I'm so glad you think so too. I feel like it works... I've seen it work, but I'm ready to be more involved in maintenence to produce new results in the hobby. Cheers
Your fresh start will also be very interesting for people who are not pros. As for old aquariums, people who have them intervened on their tank throughout time, the plants were not always the same, they did water changes when there was an imbalance, did not forcibly use the same kind of filter, etc...they only have 1 old tank, and several others shorter terms for more variety. My problem with modifying a tank is the trumpet snails in the substrate.
As humans we are part of the ecosystem of our aquariums We bring in and out what is needed, and our implication into it is big part of the pleasure of this hobby
Alex, you have to do what makes you happy. Bottom line is you, your health, your excitement, your dreams. Do what you want at your own pace. Happy to go with you on this new journey if you want us to. Good luck!
I agree 100% with what you said in this vid. I've been concentrating on my pond instead of aquariums for several years, because it's actually possible to recreate a natural environment on a larger scale. At the same time, there are so many inspiring RUclips channels creating amazing scapes where every tank can be different. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next.
I dont comment much but I feel you are important for me and many others. Your knowledge, your commitment, your effort, uour dedication, all while going through the bad hands being dealt to you. I respect and value the way you do your thing man! 💯 ❤
@BrianTads whoa, thank you my friend. Reading this really meant a lot to me. It's been a rough patch lately, but the hobby and this community are incredible, and always renew my lust for life and excitement of minute discoveries and macro trends that suddenly connect in our tanks :)
@Fishtory you're welcome Alexander! I actually fell out of the Aquarium hobby myself but got back into it after having a hernia operation. I do really find it helped take my mind off the pain etc Was only intending to have a little tank with some plants and shrimp but ended up coming back with fish lol. Got Neon Tertras, various barbs and bronze corys as well as various shrimps and sands. Deep substrate heavily planted. All looked good at first. Fast forward 2 months now the problems start ....🫣😁
Alex, I have been in this hobby for a couple of years after a long-standing passion for tropical fish and birds while growing up in Venezuela. I have used this platform to follow up with hobbyists like you and learn as much as possible. I have also learned a ton from watching your videos. I wish you the best in your new journey in the hobby, and I can't wait to see your new videos once they are posted. Be well and healthy; after all, health is our most precious need.
There were a few aquarium coop videos recently about paring back the number of aquariums, I really enjoyed them. I believe less is more in most things. It’s all about being sure you are getting what you want out of every tank. Every tank needs a purpose, nothing should be there for the sake of being there. I’ve got 4 aquariums. One is dialed, full of life(overstocked), a joy to look at, only requires 20 minutes of maintenance every other week. Another is my current project, always changing, waiting to be perfected. The third is a glass box with a betta who cannot be trusted with the ember tetras anymore, hopefully that one will look pretty someday(waiting to moves houses first). And the fourth is my wife’s betta who she watches when she’s having a bad day. They all serve a purpose and bring me joy. I do want to note that my grandpa had decade of joy tinkering with 5 or less aquariums at a time from the 60’s through the 80’s. Always trying new things, just doing what interested him. Today we are sold the idea that we need “more” not “better”, the temu/wish/(now amazon as well) way of life, but its a deeply unfulfilling way to live, just being the fuel for the economy. I know you have to keep making videos as its more a Buisness for you, but all the same,I hope you find continued joy in your hobby!!
Welcome to burnout! Good times, good times. I just got over a bit of aquarium burnout myself. I let my high energy high tech tank go to shit for a couple months and this week I got everything back up and running and back on schedule. Now to my low effort tank to make it look pretty. I think one of the reasons people like watching your channel is that you do things you want to do and you bring us along for the ride. At least that’s why I’m here… don’t worry so much about doing things for other people, just share what you like doing. Your kitty is very cute. Mine are both laying on/next to me as I write this. Cheers!
Aw bless you I didn’t know you had been so poorly and you manage to do what you do, now you’re starting a new beginning and I’m so excited for you and looking forward to seeing what you’re new ventures are going to look like and wish you all the best with it ❤
I love your videos and i want you to keep doing what makes you happy...i love plants and i love fish...no matter what kind of setup you do, i'll love to watch it...and take care of yourself ❤
It would be fun to see an aquarium from day1,then have regular updates on how it developes. Or even 2 new tanks going in different directions,to keep it interesting.
I think that's the general plan. ( also my old tanks have live streams from 4 , 5 and 6 years ago that showed weekly updates the same way... but the filming was dizzying and a bit chaotic lol
I'm excited to see this new chapter for your channel and how it will unfold. One recommendation I have is that you keep the first tank running. The one that's you said is as old as your channel? I feel like you'll regret it in the future if you take it down.
Best of luck with the change. You're a great teacher, Alex; I hope that as you keep learning more and more yourself, you'll also keep teaching us. Thank you for all you've done up to now; here's to what you'll do going forward.
100,%agree with you what you are doing makes loads of sense and will help loads of people that get a bit stuck them in limbo not realising what they need to do. You have been really honest with yourself and will feel absolutely great once done so will the fish and great advice to all. You did it first.Godbless.
Im actually SO EXCITED for this!!! Look youre gonna have a drop in followers that were ONLY here for the nature focus content, but for people like me, who really want to learn and see someone experiment with EVERYTHING we can do in the hobby, youre going to be expanding an onl8ne space of honestly invaluable knowledge ❤
Moving your hands like you’re actually doing it 😊! My dad would wave his hands like he had a green screen behind him when he talked about the weather and the jet stream! It was so cute. 🤗
hello and thanks for that video. It really resonated with me. Two months ago I have reset most of my aquariums. I have had a very specific idea, but I couldn’t find any materials online so I started making plans. I made aquarium using the father fish method, but less soil and less sand. This way, I avoid to have a mountain of substrate, and there is more water for the fish to swim. Also, I realized that Month after months, the substrate would accumulate by itself, so it is unnecessary to have too much of it in the beginning. Then the most important point was to make a slope from the front glass until the back glass. now I have this feeling that I can see much better every plant and fish inside the aquarium. It feels like the whole aquarium is tilted towards me, so it is much more enjoyable. In order to avoid that this substrate go back to the front I made a chain of rocks from left to right. I tried to make it without geometry or symmetry so it feels very natural. My last point was not to place the plants by bunches. Instead, I manually inserted stem by stem, alternating colors and variety, and it feels very very natural. I really would like to share with you some photos and picture about it and have your opinion.
Right on! If you would like to share some images, come by our discord and post there! Also the method i use most of the time now is the "lasagna" style and I agree with all your assertions. It should be fun to start changing things up!
Alex I say you make it best of both worlds. Do tank’s with the plants & fish you’re interested in now so you can have the beauty & science you spoke of but then also add in the other tiny critters that are part of natural life. That way you still get the fish hunting habits while having a more appealing tank for your new outlook. Either way good content. Side note: based on what you said, if it was me, I would get rid of enough tanks to allow for complete horizontal viewing. The ones you see side first probably don’t grab your eye as much as the others.
Nothing wrong with a refresh at all. Thats the best part of fish keeping imo.. being able to switch it up and try new things. Id keep a seperate 10 or 20 gallon live food tank just cause but they are just a glass boxes at the end of the day. What you put in it is entirely up to you.
I’ve been watching your channel since you started it. I really enjoyed the first few years because you would push the limit on how many different species you could successfully keep and breed in smaller tanks. I hope you can get back to focusing on breeding rare nano fish. I’m excited for what’s next on the channel!
Hi, same here. I am preparing to set up a tank for betta with some roommates. Doing my research and preparing stuff. Taking a bit from this channel, a bit of from others mixing everything together and lets see where I will end up :)
I cut my hair short over 10 years ago, but in the last few years I've been growing it long again. Still, I don't regret it, as I needed the change back then and it served me well. I feel that making drastic changes when you feel you need it can be so helpful to remain grounded. You're not the same person every day for 10+ years, so why should you do everything the same every day for 10+ years? Looking forward to a more inspired Alex :)
Alexander! You are such a well spoken, intelligent guy. That's why I'm here. Resetting tanks sounds fun, you can express yourself through new designs. Always new things to try. I'm not going anywhere brother.
I hear ya brother…5 tanks .tetra & shrimp..always cutting back plants..kinda getting pushed back..I’m in for myself to attempt the big task of chopping and changing ..go for it Alex … we’ll be watching..winter is coming..😊
Thanks Alex, I’m really excited about this new start for you. I’m a beginner and watched lots of your videos before starting. I set up 3 deep substrate nature style aquariums. I didnt really want to end up with the overgrown plants. So it’ll be really interesting to follow along with you and learn even more.
Great to hear! I mean my problem is also that I then took things even farther... cut the filter off, then only did water top offs and finally, stopped all gravel vacuuming and most in tank trimming lol... if i did any one of those 3 things- I could keep it going for another 5 years at least...but I'm just ready for a new adventure:) Thank you so much for your years of support!
Being disabled is exactly why I like 'nature' aquariums (namely I used Walstad method) - I NEED low maintenance and can't handle anything other than that - it's natural or nothing so funnily enough, given how much aquariums help my mental health, I use natural methods. I think my only suggestion would be to be careful switching things up to much - I have watched a number of channels change track from doing what they enjoyed to trying out different things and then became what felt like they were just trying to game the YT algorithm for max views rather than actually quality content. Ooh, and one suggestion for something you could try out is a sump that is a hybrid deep sand bed (freshwater not marine) and plant filter. I have plans for a display tank that is minimal plants (mostly epiphytes) but won't have the necessary plants to stay filtered so I am going to have a sump that is all plants and deep sand to make up for lack of plants in the display. I would love to see someone else trying it too.
Awesome! I will definitely be setting up one with the plan to be " minimal care" or minimal physical work for upkeep, but still nicely aquascaped. Sorry you have this battle on your own as well. Nature is truly healing! Hugs
Use citric acid to clean your tanks. It's very effective, easier on the tank, and easier on you! Soak, then wipe and spray clean! No hard scraping. Good luck with your new fish room!
Totally new to environment making for fish and hands-down your videos are the best, not strictly because of the content (which is great) but the delivery. Your presentation and enthusiasm is exceptional so whatever it all becomes will be too. GOOD LUCK
Awesome, thank you so kindly for your words of support. I will always do my best to keep learning, and sharing what I'm most excited about, right here on the channel :) welcome also!
Sounds exciting! I've been very interested in the long term projects but while I enjoy learning about the science, I too tend to find "nature aquariums" all become very much the same over time, and they don't really appeal to me. I'm very excited to see new and different tanks! New projects! Neat fish, breeding projects, etc.
I applaud your initiative. While the most extreme setups probably produce more knowledge then regular ones, you should start to create setups that you enjoy. Hillstream with loaches and gobies is awesome. The good part is you are healthy and have space for many projects. You can even keep a few old one for experiments while you start new projects. Good luck
I'd like to see your new concepts. I feel like what you're interested in works well for my information void. It's always going to go better when you're having fun. Your mental health will thank you
I think it will be so incredibly satisfying for you to get to some of the projects you’ve been putting off. It feels great when I finally get around to fixing up a tank I’ve neglected and it feels all fresh and new and exciting again. I’m happy for you!
I keep my life more simple, I have one fishtank, heavily planted and that’s all I want 👍but I do like listening to you and your science and knowledge 👍
Very excited for the change in direction! Or maybe just this new chapter? Love nature aquariums myself, but I’ve felt the same lack of enthusiasm myself with old tanks. Your enthusiasm for fish and all things around them is what I love about your channel, so fostering that enthusiasm is worth changing things up!
Alex, I hear you brother. I was faced with the same situation with bulging discs, migraines and other things I was forced to tear down all my tanks except for one. At first it was hard but after a few weeks of not maintaining 5 tanks (and breeding angelfish) it was the right choice. Hope you feel better soon.
Sorry to hear that... but i understand all too well. I wish you the very best and im glad you feel things are working better for you in the hobby. I need to figure out a happy balance for myself also. Cheers
You are right Alex. The nature aquariums do tend to look much the same. You probably don’t need to have too many nature aquariums set up to show us how it is done. It is great that you are looking to do a few different things. Maybe take some time to think about what you would like to do. And if they don’t work out we all learn. As a suggestion maybe search for a balance between a nature aquarium and a low tech aquascape. …. Something easy on the eye but following the principles of nature aquariums. Even breeding fish for profit, not with an ugly bare bottomed tank but something closer to a nature aquarium. It is all about balance. See how far you can move nature aquariums in the direction of healthy low tech aquascapes and breeding tanks. Just a thought. All the best.
Right, if I was starting over I would have thought about each species requirement and tailored each tank exactly to suit at setup, with planning. Rather than pick fish for tank. I would not have propagated cutting of same plants to every tank as they now are all sameyscaped. I had a magic setup, then added pleco- game over. Keep on keeping on. Other channels do setup vids, but not always followed up with results
haha i guess i have mostly " results" videos...but if you go back 5 to 7 years ago, you can see me setting up the current tanks during old live streams and or "how to xyz" videos about aquascaping or species spotlights too⁵@@garystein9536
Please do the big restart you want to do. Life is too short to keep tanks you're not passionate about anymore. I'm excited to go through the process with you in whatever limited way that I can and I'm sure a bunch of other folks are too.
@@Fishtory I get. I just did a big restart too. My two aquariums are right by a window because that's the only place they fit and they both turned into cladophora monocultures. You got me passionate about the science side of aquaria, and I, my fish, shrimp, and various other critters thank you for it. I've learned a lot and now it's time for us both to learn some new things :)
I like the idea of starting the older tanks over... I find the process of a new tank aging to be fascinating. Can't wait to see what you do next, keep up the great work!
Thank you ... to be fair, you are correct. 2 weeks of no cleaning smudges and humidity in that fishroom, ends up looking way way worse than the issue truly is
Change is inevitable. I almost exited the hobby recently because of excessive phosphate in my water source. I decided to adapt and overcome instead. I have just one tank. The reality is that when you have a wide ranging hobby life is constant decision making and adaptation.
Your channel is awesome. I love your deep understanding. If I had any requests it would be to condense your video content to key points and reduce your videos down from 1500 to something manageable for viewers. Keep it up buddy
It would be nice to see a change and how you set up your new tanks. I would like you to save one of your natural tanks and have a comparison to look at now and then. Good luck with your new tanks. I enjoy your videos
Hi tech, low tech but the very latest technology. Varied budgets from the cheapest to to most expensive. I’d like to see a from scratch video green aqua style with You. You’re much more interesting and you’re a Floridian like myself. Love the channel Alex and hope your recovery is going well.
I am looking forward to the next chapter of your fish room😊. Would you be selling plants and fish with the resets on your aquariums. I would love to buy some from you. A lot of does aquariums have giving me alot of motivation in the hobby to get more aquariums 😅😊.
I don’t know if this is helpful, but my favorite video was the deep dive into the history of betta domestication. I like the story ones in general and will go back to them.
@annataymond9529 those are my favorites also ( or the shrimp domestication... i want to follow the domestication of flower horns some how next ( while the breeders are alive still)
I would be so excited to see new kinds of tanks from you. I would still be very interested to see you employ your knowledge of natural ecosystems in your tank design
Evolution! When you 1st mentioned that you weren't experiencing what you really loved about the hobby, my thought was 'You aren't enjoying teaching others about the hobby?'. I'm relieved that isn't the case! This is where a lot of people fall down the MTS rabbit hole. New tanks for new ideas. Variety, the spice of life! As a suggestion: Have you considered using one of the overly mature tanks to use as a 'let's see what will happen if' for teaching. Many of us have learned stuff the hard way. Of course, human nature of not wanting others to see our failures, has somewhat omitted the opportunity for others to learn so they don't have to experience it. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what around the next corner in Alex's Aquatic Evolution.
I simply see it this way, we look for the most simple, effective strategies that try and mimic nature. As long term as possible. We need to adequate ourselves to strive for this balance, not subjugate a fish tank to our will alone. It's not about feeling it's pretty or clean, or how many huge fish I can get inside a box. In my personal view. I've had to adequate which critters, plants and algae I have in my tank, to fit the existing environment. Like getting bamboo shrimp to help filter the water, no matter if it is a small impact or not, it will extend the sustainability for a bit more time. It is to keep increasing complexity, resilience and redundancy, with an attentive eye on what's going on.
I know the feeling, I’ve only ever had ecosystem style aquariums and terrariums (as an adult anyway) and they do kind of plateau and get less exciting to look at and work on when everything is fully established. I’d love to see new plant species, oddball fish and more obscure shrimp.
@metasymphony bingo! ( I want to keep some rare brackish shrimp and soda lake cichlids as well as more true black water... so hopefully we can get that going as 2025 rolls along
I would say change things up, take your time.Find dedicated places for everything, so you can keep on top of things without it being too much work. Your content is fab and never formulaic which keeps things interesting.
Right on. I'm honored. Just know that water changes to lower tds/hardness and some sort or filtration or air moving water around... makes the tanks last at least 2 or 3x longer as well :)
Thank you for explaining your thought process. I have to admit I am feeling a bit of shaudenfraud but it's not actually directed at you. There is a person in one of the aquarium facebook groups who basically sees red and goes on a rant anytime he sees the words "water chage". I know water changes in and of themselves are not the sole reason you are making changes, but I hope he sees this video because he is quite obnoxious and it would be nice for him to get the message from someone who is not a traditional fish keeper. You can't just leave aquariums alone in perpetuity, something will break down. Regardless, what you have accomplished and learned is quite impressive. I definitely wish you well in your new endeavors, and hope you find some new sparks for the hobby!
I feel that even if you change up your tanks, it's not going to change your knowledge and compassion. And it's YOU that I tune in for 😊
Thank you kindly. I am hoping the same as well haha cheers!
100% Agree
Yes tear down start fresh. One at a time though, so you don’t feel rushed to get it done! Enjoy your fish again. Looking forward to the new beginning!! Alex do some top offs first with partial water changes to acclimate your fish to fresh beginnings.
Thank you. I want to do it all at once!... but i will do it slowly lol i have to, honestly. So That's the plan! Thank you for all your support!
Varity is the spice of life, do what ever you want, have fun doing it
Man it will be such an amazing experience to watch you do it from scrap as we can learn from expert. Please do upload the entire journey through videos
I'll do my best lol. Thank you for the very kind words. Take care
Alex, you've truly been a guiding light. Your passion, knowledge, and creativity have inspired me to dive deeper and build setups I never thought possible. Watching your videos feels like learning from a mentor and a friend, and I can’t thank you enough for sharing your expertise so generously.
I'm beyond excited to see you resetting your old tanks and embarking on new projects-it’s going to be amazing, as always! You’re not just one of the best contributors to the hobby; you’re a cornerstone for so many of us who look up to you. Thanks for everything you do, and I can’t wait to see what’s next!
I'm honored. Thank you so much. I truly appreciate your presence here in our community. I'll talk to you again soon, I'm sure. Cheers
I’m happy to hear that you’re feeling inspired to shake things up! Follow that passion and I’m sure you’ll have great things to share!
Thank you! Will do!
Hi Alex. I'm 57 yrs old and haven't kept fish in over 25 years but thanks to you and other talented fish keepers I am going to set up my first tank in the new year. You have a vast amount of knowledge and seem to be a genuinely great guy. I didn't realise how much trauma you have gone through so that alone is a great testament to what you have achieved. My wife suffers with FND, Inflammation, chronic pain and other issues so I understand the challenges that you go through on a day to day basis. Watching this video is making me rethink how I'm going to set up my tank. It seems that it's much harder to try and mimic what is in the natural world, in a tank. I just want to say that you are a great inspiration and I'm looking forward to seeing what you are going to do in the future. My thoughts and prayers are with you. God bless. 🙏😊
Thank you so kindly. If you go back to 5 or 6 years ago, you can see me setting up most the tanks i have currently ( i even moved, without disturbing the Substrate by leaving 15% of water and substrate in the tanks as we moved them one by one.)
I'm sorry to hear of your wife's struggles and I know you must have a great heart and so much compassion, if you have lived at her side for decades. That is so much to deal with...but I guarantee you are now a much much more understanding and compassionate person because of it.
I think there's a happy medium between total nature / low tech tanks vs high tech or weekly maintenance type tanks.
We will work to find the " sweet spot" that allows me to maintain the type of tanks I enjoy, with a maintenance regiment that is workable.
Thank you kindly. Take care.
-Alex
@Fishtory Alex thank you so much for your reply. I'm so looking forward to building my tank in the new year and will be documenting it on Tiktok among other things I have planned. I might use a plenum in the tank but not sure yet. I'm going to make a bonsai style tree to go into the tank. Not quite sure what plant to use yet as I have a couple in mind. My wife deals with it daily and with the lord's help she copes okay. She can't have a 9-5 job but has a wee business from home. Looking forward to seeing what you'll be doing to your tanks over the next few months. Thanks again and God bless you 🙏😊
Honestly? I enjoy the creativity and thoughtfulness you bring in your topics and new content. I am not heavy into the hobby so I’m not immersed in new trends/discoveries and I always enjoy how you break down complex science. I think my favorite topics are when you take a controversial method and break it down for both sides. But your enthusiasm and interest that you share are the reason I watch.
@@LindersueHarrison thank you. I take your feedback to heart. Have a wonderful week!
Change is good. No one expects things to remain the same. Go have fun!
Wise words
I think the fact that your tanks look similar to each other shows your success in the natural tank quest. I am looking forward to your changes
I'm so glad you think so too. I feel like it works... I've seen it work, but I'm ready to be more involved in maintenence to produce new results in the hobby. Cheers
Absolutely! Love that you're feeling inspired to make new changes for yourself! Would love to see what you'll do next!
Yay! Thank you! It make take some time, and with my health- ill do one tank a week or so im thinking...hopefully haha
Your fresh start will also be very interesting for people who are not pros.
As for old aquariums, people who have them intervened on their tank throughout time, the plants were not always the same, they did water changes when there was an imbalance, did not forcibly use the same kind of filter, etc...they only have 1 old tank, and several others shorter terms for more variety.
My problem with modifying a tank is the trumpet snails in the substrate.
Jackson Pollock scene of substrate. Love that. 😂
i want to see you do what makes you happy and I am excited to learn old and new things alongside you :)
Yay! Thank you!
As humans we are part of the ecosystem of our aquariums
We bring in and out what is needed, and our implication into it is big part of the pleasure of this hobby
Alex, you have to do what makes you happy. Bottom line is you, your health, your excitement, your dreams. Do what you want at your own pace. Happy to go with you on this new journey if you want us to. Good luck!
Thank you so much for your deeo compassion and understanding! I feel blessed to have you in the community here!
@Fishtory you are very welcome
I agree 100% with what you said in this vid. I've been concentrating on my pond instead of aquariums for several years, because it's actually possible to recreate a natural environment on a larger scale. At the same time, there are so many inspiring RUclips channels creating amazing scapes where every tank can be different. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do next.
I dont comment much but I feel you are important for me and many others. Your knowledge, your commitment, your effort, uour dedication, all while going through the bad hands being dealt to you. I respect and value the way you do your thing man! 💯 ❤
@BrianTads whoa, thank you my friend. Reading this really meant a lot to me. It's been a rough patch lately, but the hobby and this community are incredible, and always renew my lust for life and excitement of minute discoveries and macro trends that suddenly connect in our tanks :)
@Fishtory you're welcome Alexander! I actually fell out of the Aquarium hobby myself but got back into it after having a hernia operation. I do really find it helped take my mind off the pain etc
Was only intending to have a little tank with some plants and shrimp but ended up coming back with fish lol. Got Neon Tertras, various barbs and bronze corys as well as various shrimps and sands. Deep substrate heavily planted. All looked good at first. Fast forward 2 months now the problems start ....🫣😁
Alex, I have been in this hobby for a couple of years after a long-standing passion for tropical fish and birds while growing up in Venezuela. I have used this platform to follow up with hobbyists like you and learn as much as possible. I have also learned a ton from watching your videos. I wish you the best in your new journey in the hobby, and I can't wait to see your new videos once they are posted. Be well and healthy; after all, health is our most precious need.
Thank you very kindly mi amigo. Cheers
There were a few aquarium coop videos recently about paring back the number of aquariums, I really enjoyed them. I believe less is more in most things. It’s all about being sure you are getting what you want out of every tank. Every tank needs a purpose, nothing should be there for the sake of being there. I’ve got 4 aquariums. One is dialed, full of life(overstocked), a joy to look at, only requires 20 minutes of maintenance every other week. Another is my current project, always changing, waiting to be perfected. The third is a glass box with a betta who cannot be trusted with the ember tetras anymore, hopefully that one will look pretty someday(waiting to moves houses first). And the fourth is my wife’s betta who she watches when she’s having a bad day.
They all serve a purpose and bring me joy.
I do want to note that my grandpa had decade of joy tinkering with 5 or less aquariums at a time from the 60’s through the 80’s. Always trying new things, just doing what interested him. Today we are sold the idea that we need “more” not “better”, the temu/wish/(now amazon as well) way of life, but its a deeply unfulfilling way to live, just being the fuel for the economy. I know you have to keep making videos as its more a Buisness for you, but all the same,I hope you find continued joy in your hobby!!
Thank you. You and Your Grandad are 100% correct
Welcome to burnout! Good times, good times. I just got over a bit of aquarium burnout myself. I let my high energy high tech tank go to shit for a couple months and this week I got everything back up and running and back on schedule. Now to my low effort tank to make it look pretty.
I think one of the reasons people like watching your channel is that you do things you want to do and you bring us along for the ride. At least that’s why I’m here… don’t worry so much about doing things for other people, just share what you like doing.
Your kitty is very cute. Mine are both laying on/next to me as I write this.
Cheers!
Thanks... that's just it i think too. So I don't want to get burnt out or boring for the viewers I respect so much
Aw bless you I didn’t know you had been so poorly and you manage to do what you do, now you’re starting a new beginning and I’m so excited for you and looking forward to seeing what you’re new ventures are going to look like and wish you all the best with it ❤
@dawnswales5825 thank you. Be well and have a great week
You should always find the most joyful path! ALWAYS!❤
Looking forward to this new chapter of Fishtory! 🐠👍
Same here
I love your videos and i want you to keep doing what makes you happy...i love plants and i love fish...no matter what kind of setup you do, i'll love to watch it...and take care of yourself ❤
It would be fun to see an aquarium from day1,then have regular updates on how it developes. Or even 2 new tanks going in different directions,to keep it interesting.
I think that's the general plan. ( also my old tanks have live streams from 4 , 5 and 6 years ago that showed weekly updates the same way... but the filming was dizzying and a bit chaotic lol
I'm excited to see this new chapter for your channel and how it will unfold. One recommendation I have is that you keep the first tank running. The one that's you said is as old as your channel? I feel like you'll regret it in the future if you take it down.
That's a good idea! Thank you
Best of luck with the change. You're a great teacher, Alex; I hope that as you keep learning more and more yourself, you'll also keep teaching us.
Thank you for all you've done up to now; here's to what you'll do going forward.
Thanks so much! I will always do my best to keep passing it forward to those who want to learn :)
100,%agree with you what you are doing makes loads of sense and will help loads of people that get a bit stuck them in limbo not realising what they need to do. You have been really honest with yourself and will feel absolutely great once done so will the fish and great advice to all. You did it first.Godbless.
Im actually SO EXCITED for this!!! Look youre gonna have a drop in followers that were ONLY here for the nature focus content, but for people like me, who really want to learn and see someone experiment with EVERYTHING we can do in the hobby, youre going to be expanding an onl8ne space of honestly invaluable knowledge ❤
Moving your hands like you’re actually doing it 😊! My dad would wave his hands like he had a green screen behind him when he talked about the weather and the jet stream! It was so cute. 🤗
I must have been a weather anchor newscaster in a past life!
I think changing things up is a great idea. Trying something new can reenergize and reengage both you and us.
I love how we and the hobby are constantly changing and growing!
It keeps it fun 😁
hello and thanks for that video. It really resonated with me. Two months ago I have reset most of my aquariums. I have had a very specific idea, but I couldn’t find any materials online so I started making plans. I made aquarium using the father fish method, but less soil and less sand. This way, I avoid to have a mountain of substrate, and there is more water for the fish to swim. Also, I realized that Month after months, the substrate would accumulate by itself, so it is unnecessary to have too much of it in the beginning. Then the most important point was to make a slope from the front glass until the back glass. now I have this feeling that I can see much better every plant and fish inside the aquarium. It feels like the whole aquarium is tilted towards me, so it is much more enjoyable. In order to avoid that this substrate go back to the front I made a chain of rocks from left to right. I tried to make it without geometry or symmetry so it feels very natural. My last point was not to place the plants by bunches. Instead, I manually inserted stem by stem, alternating colors and variety, and it feels very very natural. I really would like to share with you some photos and picture about it and have your opinion.
Right on! If you would like to share some images, come by our discord and post there!
Also the method i use most of the time now is the "lasagna" style and I agree with all your assertions. It should be fun to start changing things up!
@@Fishtory I am praying with all my heart that you get rid of your health problems. Take good care of yourself.
Alex I say you make it best of both worlds. Do tank’s with the plants & fish you’re interested in now so you can have the beauty & science you spoke of but then also add in the other tiny critters that are part of natural life. That way you still get the fish hunting habits while having a more appealing tank for your new outlook. Either way good content.
Side note: based on what you said, if it was me, I would get rid of enough tanks to allow for complete horizontal viewing. The ones you see side first probably don’t grab your eye as much as the others.
Yeah I think I will have it so most are horizontal unless they're grow-out fry tanks
I enjoy starting fresh every few years. Look forward to seeing what you do. If it makes you happy it's going to come across in the videos.
Nothing wrong with a refresh at all. Thats the best part of fish keeping imo.. being able to switch it up and try new things. Id keep a seperate 10 or 20 gallon live food tank just cause but they are just a glass boxes at the end of the day. What you put in it is entirely up to you.
I’ve been watching your channel since you started it. I really enjoyed the first few years because you would push the limit on how many different species you could successfully keep and breed in smaller tanks. I hope you can get back to focusing on breeding rare nano fish. I’m excited for what’s next on the channel!
I will! I miss that as well :) and thank you for watching and being a part of this community, so long!
As a “new” hobbyist coming back into it after 5 years or so and starting from scratch, I’m SO excited to see what’s coming. This is gonna be great!!!
So glad to hear it
Hi, same here. I am preparing to set up a tank for betta with some roommates. Doing my research and preparing stuff. Taking a bit from this channel, a bit of from others mixing everything together and lets see where I will end up :)
@ObraumDziemniaka best of luck 👍
You are the key! Your knowledge is a gift o all of us.
I cut my hair short over 10 years ago, but in the last few years I've been growing it long again. Still, I don't regret it, as I needed the change back then and it served me well. I feel that making drastic changes when you feel you need it can be so helpful to remain grounded. You're not the same person every day for 10+ years, so why should you do everything the same every day for 10+ years? Looking forward to a more inspired Alex :)
I think this is a great direction. Speaking from a place where I just did a similar thing, I can say it has refreshed my excitement in the hobby 100%!
So glad to hear it! Thanks Moose 🫎
@@Fishtory and it's fun reclaiming all the fish, plants, and hardscape for credits or new projects!
Time for a cool change, nice! Can't wait to watch the process and see what you come up with for your new beginnings!
Thank you my friend.
I pray for improved health and that you get great joy from the hobby once again. Be well🙂
Thank you very much 🙏
Alexander! You are such a well spoken, intelligent guy. That's why I'm here. Resetting tanks sounds fun, you can express yourself through new designs. Always new things to try. I'm not going anywhere brother.
I appreciate that so very much. Thank you. Cheers! I promise to keep it fun haha
Excited to see what you come up with!😊
@@assiahinarkansas you're the best. I can't thank you enough for your years of support!
I hear ya brother…5 tanks .tetra & shrimp..always cutting back plants..kinda getting pushed back..I’m in for myself to attempt the big task of chopping and changing ..go for it Alex … we’ll be watching..winter is coming..😊
Thank you kindly haha 🙏
Thanks Alex, I’m really excited about this new start for you. I’m a beginner and watched lots of your videos before starting. I set up 3 deep substrate nature style aquariums. I didnt really want to end up with the overgrown plants. So it’ll be really interesting to follow along with you and learn even more.
Great to hear! I mean my problem is also that I then took things even farther... cut the filter off, then only did water top offs and finally, stopped all gravel vacuuming and most in tank trimming lol... if i did any one of those 3 things- I could keep it going for another 5 years at least...but I'm just ready for a new adventure:)
Thank you so much for your years of support!
Being disabled is exactly why I like 'nature' aquariums (namely I used Walstad method) - I NEED low maintenance and can't handle anything other than that - it's natural or nothing so funnily enough, given how much aquariums help my mental health, I use natural methods. I think my only suggestion would be to be careful switching things up to much - I have watched a number of channels change track from doing what they enjoyed to trying out different things and then became what felt like they were just trying to game the YT algorithm for max views rather than actually quality content. Ooh, and one suggestion for something you could try out is a sump that is a hybrid deep sand bed (freshwater not marine) and plant filter. I have plans for a display tank that is minimal plants (mostly epiphytes) but won't have the necessary plants to stay filtered so I am going to have a sump that is all plants and deep sand to make up for lack of plants in the display. I would love to see someone else trying it too.
Awesome! I will definitely be setting up one with the plan to be " minimal care" or minimal physical work for upkeep, but still nicely aquascaped. Sorry you have this battle on your own as well. Nature is truly healing! Hugs
How exciting! I can hear the joy in your voice again, and I am so excited to see the evolution and updates of your new path. 🫶🇦🇺
@@MissChelle thanks. Cheers mate 👍 have a lovely week
Use citric acid to clean your tanks. It's very effective, easier on the tank, and easier on you! Soak, then wipe and spray clean! No hard scraping. Good luck with your new fish room!
Thanks for the tip
Totally new to environment making for fish and hands-down your videos are the best, not strictly because of the content (which is great) but the delivery. Your presentation and enthusiasm is exceptional so whatever it all becomes will be too. GOOD LUCK
Awesome, thank you so kindly for your words of support. I will always do my best to keep learning, and sharing what I'm most excited about, right here on the channel :) welcome also!
Sounds exciting! I've been very interested in the long term projects but while I enjoy learning about the science, I too tend to find "nature aquariums" all become very much the same over time, and they don't really appeal to me.
I'm very excited to see new and different tanks! New projects! Neat fish, breeding projects, etc.
I applaud your initiative. While the most extreme setups probably produce more knowledge then regular ones, you should start to create setups that you enjoy. Hillstream with loaches and gobies is awesome. The good part is you are healthy and have space for many projects. You can even keep a few old one for experiments while you start new projects. Good luck
I'd like to see your new concepts. I feel like what you're interested in works well for my information void. It's always going to go better when you're having fun. Your mental health will thank you
Totally. Thanks for the support. 🙏
I think it will be so incredibly satisfying for you to get to some of the projects you’ve been putting off. It feels great when I finally get around to fixing up a tank I’ve neglected and it feels all fresh and new and exciting again. I’m happy for you!
I keep my life more simple, I have one fishtank, heavily planted and that’s all I want 👍but I do like listening to you and your science and knowledge 👍
You are wise haha. I don't know why I keep 20 to 30 tanks ... I love a good crisis haha. Cheers
Very excited for the change in direction! Or maybe just this new chapter? Love nature aquariums myself, but I’ve felt the same lack of enthusiasm myself with old tanks. Your enthusiasm for fish and all things around them is what I love about your channel, so fostering that enthusiasm is worth changing things up!
Thank you! I'll do my best
The look of Japanese mini garden style aquariums looks cool
Iwagumi is one of the first tank styles, I'd like to explore again
Can't wait to see your next project 😊
I like what your doing. Will keep a close eye on this new journey. Appreciate the time and effort 👍🏼🐟🐠‼️
Awesome! Thank you!
Alex, I hear you brother. I was faced with the same situation with bulging discs, migraines and other things I was forced to tear down all my tanks except for one. At first it was hard but after a few weeks of not maintaining 5 tanks (and breeding angelfish) it was the right choice. Hope you feel better soon.
Sorry to hear that... but i understand all too well. I wish you the very best and im glad you feel things are working better for you in the hobby. I need to figure out a happy balance for myself also. Cheers
Exciting you are going thru this too!
Looking forward to your endeavors!
I love the content you create already! I would love to see you do some more dramatic/experimental aquascapes.
It'll happen slowly but surely. Thank you
Can't wait to see what you do next, love the channel.
You are right Alex. The nature aquariums do tend to look much the same. You probably don’t need to have too many nature aquariums set up to show us how it is done. It is great that you are looking to do a few different things. Maybe take some time to think about what you would like to do. And if they don’t work out we all learn. As a suggestion maybe search for a balance between a nature aquarium and a low tech aquascape. …. Something easy on the eye but following the principles of nature aquariums. Even breeding fish for profit, not with an ugly bare bottomed tank but something closer to a nature aquarium. It is all about balance. See how far you can move nature aquariums in the direction of healthy low tech aquascapes and breeding tanks. Just a thought. All the best.
Interesting old tanks. Aint there room for the old and the new 😁 looking forward to the new journey
Well said. Amen!
I love your fishroom. I also really like hearing your view on keeping fish as you have a lot of knowledge. Good luck with the projects.
Thanks so much!
We're with you on the journey. My advice put your house in order first with the plasterboard or sheet rock in US.
Right, if I was starting over I would have thought about each species requirement and tailored each tank exactly to suit at setup, with planning. Rather than pick fish for tank. I would not have propagated cutting of same plants to every tank as they now are all sameyscaped. I had a magic setup, then added pleco- game over. Keep on keeping on. Other channels do setup vids, but not always followed up with results
haha i guess i have mostly " results" videos...but if you go back 5 to 7 years ago, you can see me setting up the current tanks during old live streams and or "how to xyz" videos about aquascaping or species spotlights too⁵@@garystein9536
Please do the big restart you want to do. Life is too short to keep tanks you're not passionate about anymore. I'm excited to go through the process with you in whatever limited way that I can and I'm sure a bunch of other folks are too.
Thanks... definition of mixed feelings, but i already feel better, simply declaring my intentions
@@Fishtory I get. I just did a big restart too. My two aquariums are right by a window because that's the only place they fit and they both turned into cladophora monocultures.
You got me passionate about the science side of aquaria, and I, my fish, shrimp, and various other critters thank you for it. I've learned a lot and now it's time for us both to learn some new things :)
I like the idea of starting the older tanks over... I find the process of a new tank aging to be fascinating. Can't wait to see what you do next, keep up the great work!
That's the plan! Cheers
Hi! Your aquariums and fish are wonderful and natural looking just need litle glass cleaning on ouside. All the best for you sire 💐👏
Thank you ... to be fair, you are correct. 2 weeks of no cleaning smudges and humidity in that fishroom, ends up looking way way worse than the issue truly is
Change is inevitable. I almost exited the hobby recently because of excessive phosphate in my water source. I decided to adapt and overcome instead. I have just one tank. The reality is that when you have a wide ranging hobby life is constant decision making and adaptation.
You may dig my deep dive on the phosphate cycle haha. It's nerdy to the max
Your channel is awesome. I love your deep understanding. If I had any requests it would be to condense your video content to key points and reduce your videos down from 1500 to something manageable for viewers. Keep it up buddy
@eddie6436 yes, I've tried to do this with Playlist somewhat...but i totally agree. Thank you for the feedback
It would be nice to see a change and how you set up your new tanks. I would like you to save one of your natural tanks and have a comparison to look at now and then. Good luck with your new tanks. I enjoy your videos
Thanks
Hi tech, low tech but the very latest technology. Varied budgets from the cheapest to to most expensive. I’d like to see a from scratch video green aqua style with You. You’re much more interesting and you’re a Floridian like myself. Love the channel Alex and hope your recovery is going well.
Thanks for the idea!
I am looking forward to the next chapter of your fish room😊. Would you be selling plants and fish with the resets on your aquariums. I would love to buy some from you. A lot of does aquariums have giving me alot of motivation in the hobby to get more aquariums 😅😊.
Possibly
Great video. Can’t wait to see what you come up with
Its going to be fun seeing what you do!
I hope so haha thank you
I'm gonna be combining a couple of tanks myself
Was waiting for you to say, "And this substrate is older than .....DIRT!!!!
Hahaha
I don’t know if this is helpful, but my favorite video was the deep dive into the history of betta domestication. I like the story ones in general and will go back to them.
@annataymond9529 those are my favorites also ( or the shrimp domestication... i want to follow the domestication of flower horns some how next ( while the breeders are alive still)
In nature a big flood occasionally washes away and deposits new stuff. Otherwise it just turns into sandstone.
100% I actually said this and then edited out, and want to talk about fire, floods, droughts and all the ways nature resets 😊
Good luck wish u the best take care it was fun while it lasted.
:)
I would be so excited to see new kinds of tanks from you. I would still be very interested to see you employ your knowledge of natural ecosystems in your tank design
That's the plan 😊 thanks
Definitely refreshing to hear. 😊
Glad you think so!
Don't be so hard on yourself....do one thing at a time.
My cats chew on my houseplants too, darn them!
Darn kitty cats 😊
Evolution! When you 1st mentioned that you weren't experiencing what you really loved about the hobby, my thought was 'You aren't enjoying teaching others about the hobby?'. I'm relieved that isn't the case! This is where a lot of people fall down the MTS rabbit hole. New tanks for new ideas. Variety, the spice of life! As a suggestion: Have you considered using one of the overly mature tanks to use as a 'let's see what will happen if' for teaching. Many of us have learned stuff the hard way. Of course, human nature of not wanting others to see our failures, has somewhat omitted the opportunity for others to learn so they don't have to experience it. Anyway, I look forward to seeing what around the next corner in Alex's Aquatic Evolution.
❤
I simply see it this way, we look for the most simple, effective strategies that try and mimic nature. As long term as possible. We need to adequate ourselves to strive for this balance, not subjugate a fish tank to our will alone. It's not about feeling it's pretty or clean, or how many huge fish I can get inside a box. In my personal view. I've had to adequate which critters, plants and algae I have in my tank, to fit the existing environment. Like getting bamboo shrimp to help filter the water, no matter if it is a small impact or not, it will extend the sustainability for a bit more time. It is to keep increasing complexity, resilience and redundancy, with an attentive eye on what's going on.
I know the feeling, I’ve only ever had ecosystem style aquariums and terrariums (as an adult anyway) and they do kind of plateau and get less exciting to look at and work on when everything is fully established. I’d love to see new plant species, oddball fish and more obscure shrimp.
@metasymphony bingo! ( I want to keep some rare brackish shrimp and soda lake cichlids as well as more true black water... so hopefully we can get that going as 2025 rolls along
I would say change things up, take your time.Find dedicated places for everything, so you can keep on top of things without it being too much work. Your content is fab and never formulaic which keeps things interesting.
Thanks for your input buddy!
Glofish look great against dark backgrounds! :-)
Anyway, I hope your health improves.
Hahahaha
You inspired me so much and my little 5g nature aquarium is doing so well. I would never have started it had I not seen your videos
Right on. I'm honored. Just know that water changes to lower tds/hardness and some sort or filtration or air moving water around... makes the tanks last at least 2 or 3x longer as well :)
@Fishtory Definitely. Water is dKH 13 and dGH 20 out the tap 🫣
@Fishtory: Change is good, Alex. Go for it.
I think i know where this is going 💪
Where?
@@globalist1990FUNKYTOWN
Sound really great enjoy the change. I will follow along.
Glad to hear it!
Love this channel and appreciate all the information
Thank you very much my man!
Thank you for explaining your thought process. I have to admit I am feeling a bit of shaudenfraud but it's not actually directed at you. There is a person in one of the aquarium facebook groups who basically sees red and goes on a rant anytime he sees the words "water chage". I know water changes in and of themselves are not the sole reason you are making changes, but I hope he sees this video because he is quite obnoxious and it would be nice for him to get the message from someone who is not a traditional fish keeper. You can't just leave aquariums alone in perpetuity, something will break down.
Regardless, what you have accomplished and learned is quite impressive. I definitely wish you well in your new endeavors, and hope you find some new sparks for the hobby!
I think your plan is great